Adarsh Society scam: Where are the Kargil martyrs in the allottees?

Mumbai: Mumbai's Adarsh Housing Society may have become the catchment area for a massive political controversy, but Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan denied the complex was meant for Kargil martyr's families.

"The land was never reserved for defence personnel or Kargil heroes," Chavan said at a press conference on Friday, attempting to come clean on the issue while responding to allegations that top politicians, bureaucrats and Army officers appropriated land meant for Kargil heroes.

The question then arises: Just who was the Adarsh Cooperative Housing Society intended for?

Sources in the Maharashtra government told NDTV that in the original application submitted in 1999-2000, Adarsh promoters asked for land in the name of retired and serving defence personnel.

The first time widows were mentioned at all was in a letter to the Mumbai Collector dated April 5, 2000 in which Colonel S S Jog GOC, HQ, Maharashtra and Gujarat said, "Necessary action at your end may be taken as deemed fit for the welfare of service personnel/ ex servicemen/their widows."

There was no mention of Kargil.

The first time Kargil was mentioned was in a letter in June 2000 to the then state Revenue Minister Ashok Chavan. Ironically, this was the time when the promoters wanted to extend the allotment to civilians saying, "We need your kind help to accommodate and reward our heroes of Kargil. We have many officers in the society who participated in Operation "Vijay"."

Not just once, but repeatedly the name of Kargil martyrs was used to wrangle benefits. Even though at the time they sent these letters, only three Kargil martyrs figured in the list of allotments.